I read A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle later than most people. But it was the book that kicked off this blog so I decided to update this post. 

What captivated me most about A New Earth was the idea that the human race was evolving toward enlightenment. Fifteen years later, I still like that idea. 

According to Tolle, our true self is consciousness is something that cannot be found or projected but only experienced.  We can only become aware of this true self, Tolle believes, when the false self is  identified and overcome.  To Tolle, this awareness is the key to enlightenment.

But is it?

It is good to overcome pretense certainly. Especially if the pretense leads to the defensive behaviors Tolle lists (fault finding, reactivity, accumulation of objects and paranoiac distrust of others). But I don't think that overcoming facets of ourselves necessarily leads to a pure state of consciousness awareness. 

I think integration is probably the better approach.

Still, I am grateful to Eckhart Tolle for being there when he was!

I first saw and heard of Eckhart Tolle just last night on public access TV. It was almost 3 a.m. on the morning of my birthday and I couldn't sleep and I eventually found myself on the couch watching late night TV.  Surfing through the channels, I paused at Eckhart Tolle because I liked his voice.

A peaceful voice is a welcome thing on a sleepless night and I liked Tolle's lilt and his ill-fitting peasant vest and hobbit-like demeanor. He talked about spaciousness, attachment to objects and enlightenment. All of interest to me.  And he did not seem to take himself especially seriously which I find appealing in just about anyone.

Curious, I researched Tolle on the internet.  I learned that he was born in 1948 and had an unhappy childhood in the shadow of post-war Germany. He later relocated to Spain then England where he attended the University of London. He completed his post graduate work in 1977. I am not clear on his area of study.

Also in 1977, following years of depression, anxiety and spiritual seeking he underwent a self described spiritual transformation. Following this transformation, he lived with friends at a Buddhist monastery or slept on the open ground of Hampstead Heath in a state of peace and contentment. Following or during this period he began to provide spiritual instruction to individuals and small groups in England.

He found himself compelled to move to the North American West Coast in 1995 and has stated that the energy of northwest Canada made it possible for him to write a book he couldn't have wrote in England. That book, the Power of Now, was published in 1999. Other books followed, including "A New Earth" which I am surprised to find myself reading.

I have been meaning to start a blog for some time thinking that, perhaps, if I make a commitment to review a book I will finish it.  I have fallen into a bad habit lately of wandering away from them.  So this is the blog, please wish me luck with it.

~August 22nd 2010